A local school board has passed a measure requiring

Hi nechets

Only "so that" is correct. "So as to" is always incorrect in GMAT. The only acceptable/suspect case is: so X as to Y. But in OG 13, idiom "so X as to Y' is considered incorrect.

Hope it's clear.

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Explanation: This sentence tests the GMAT taker's comfort with the common structure "require X to Y." In this construction, "required" must be followed by an infinitive verb form ("to" followed by the verb). This eliminates answer choices A, C, and E as possibilities. Answer choices C and D are the only two that make it clear that the principals provide material so that the parents can improve the quality of their children's education: answers A and B seem to indicate that providing the parents with material would be sufficient to improve the quality of their children's education. Answer choice E also implies (through parallel construction) that the principals will be required to "provide... and improve..." which distorts the meaning of the sentence. Hence, answer choice D is the correct choice.

This post is INCORRECT because the OG upon which the answer depends was incorrect.

The assertions in the post derive from a confusion that was created by GMAC itself, a confusion that has now been resolved.

IDIOMS - correct
• X so that Y
• So X as to Y
• So X that Y

1) X so that Y (full clause!) (cause => result)
I changed jobs so that I could earn more money.
The midfielder dropped back so that he could assist the defenders.
-- The result of the midfielder's dropping back was that he could assist the defenders.
-- Because the midfielder dropped back [from the midfield], he could assist the defenders.

2) So X as to Y (infinitive phrase!) (cause => result)
So (adjective) as to Y
The students were so focused on grammar rules as to forget to check the sentence for meaning.
-- Because the students were so focused on grammar rules, they forgot to check the sentence for meaning.

3) So X that Y (full clause!) (cause => result)
So [adjective] that Y
The hackers were so skilled that they breached five formerly impenetrable firewalls.
Because the hackers were so skilled, they breached many firewalls that had never been breached.

Speech construct:
• X so as to Y
The construction in (B) has experts divided.

The expert on this thread believes that X so as to Y may not be used to express purpose
(that position is at odds with that of the Oxford English Dictionary, below).

This expert calls X so as to Y as
part of a clause of consequence. I concur.

This example mimics that of the second expert.
X so as to Y (infinitive phrase!) (cause => result)
I changed jobs so as to earn more money.
I wanted to earn more money. To do so, I changed jobs.

The Oxford Dictionary online states that "so as to" is equivalent to "in order to."
The entry in the material just linked
• so as to do something
-- In order to do something.
-- "She had put her hair up so as to look older."

I do not recall ever having seen the correct answer turn on the issue of the phrase "so as to"
simply because the words say "so as to."

• The problem with option B is connected to meaning and logic;
that problem is not reducible to the mere presence of a phrase

The problem with "so as to" in option B is a meaning issue.

Option B fails at what GMAC tests 40% of the time, namely, logical predication.

The sentence with option B inserted states that
A local school board has passed a measure requiring principals to provide parents
with course materials so as to improve the quality of their children's education.

What is the logical connection between giving parents course materials and
improving the quality of their children's education?
Is that connection supplied at all?
No. We have no idea WHO does this improving or HOW the improvement is accomplished.

Now examine D.
A local school board has passed a measure requiring principals to provide parents
with course materials so that THEY can improve the quality of their children's education.

Logic? Not great, but a lot better than B.
The parents must have the materials because the parents can use the materials
to improve the quality of their children's education.
-- At least now we know WHO uses the materials to improve the quality of education,
and that WHO is sensible. (Parents help with homework, often field questions generally, etc.)

I would never eliminate an answer simply because it uses the phrase "SO AS TO."

Answer B is not incorrect because it contains the phrase "so as to."

Answer B is incorrect because its meaning is unclear and the logical connection between
parents' having materials and an improved education for children is nonexistent.

P.S. For those who assert that "so as to" is wrong on the GMAT,
or wrong most of the time, what is the source of this assertion?

Hi,

Interesting. Taken on it's own I can see why you could have some reason for doubt.

I think what clears it up totally later in the sentence is the word 'their' - this makes it clear that the 'they' refers to the people who have children. I.e. the parents.

Make sense?

James

Dude where do u get these rules? There are plenty of official examples where "so as to " is used.

"So as to " means in order to.

Claiming that the idiom is incorrect ALWAYS will mislead many of your followers.

Posted from my mobile device

I want to know the reasons why option choice B is incorrect.

A local school board has passed a measure requiring principals to provide parents with course materials so as to improve the quality of their children's education.

Hi James,

I do not agree to the OA, "they" can very easily refer to principals, which is a much stronger reason to eleminate D rather than accpet on the reasoning given in the OE

Question: "So as" and "so that" are both accepted idioms?

Option D.

A local school board has passed a measure requiring principals provide parents with course materials so as to improve the quality of their children's education.

Meaning-
Local board has passed something.
That something has certain requirements-
Principals should provide parents with something "so as to (in order to) " improve parents' children's education.


NOTE NOTE NOTE: the usage of "so as to " is CORRECT ..it is always a valid idiom - so as to means in order to (purpose)
Please avoid rejecting a choice based on idiom. In addition , there are many official questions where "so as to" is used... Some may say it used in this form - so X as to Y... This idiom has different meaning than "so as to"... So X as to Y means because of X , Y happens.. X is the cause and Y is the result...
"So as to" means "in order to" /purpose... And here there is a mentioned purpose - to improve bla bla bla..

Errors:
1) Pronoun problem: "their"... It can refer back to principals and to parents..why? Because "principals is in the subject place as the law requires "principals" so the doer is "provide parents with..." Is principals... And hence "their" can refer back to principals... Logically it is wrong as we know their has to refer back to parents... So we need a less ambiguous sentence...

2)Idiom- require X to do Y... We need "to " after require .

3) meaning- even if you don't get the pronoun error it's okay... Look for meaning...

"A local school board has passed a measure requiring principals.....so as to improve the quality of their children's education. "
So here if we remove the extra info about the requirements of measure we get the above sentence and this may seem like local board passed a law to improve the principals' kids education...

Eliminate- A C E



B) to provide parents with course materials so as to -
- error of pronoun ambiguity as explained for A.

D) to provide parents with course materials so that they can- here pronoun "they" will refer back to parents as it is relative pronoun and also the subject of "they can improve" and hence can refer back to the subject "parents* in this sentence...

"A local school board has passed a measure requiring principals... So that they can improve the quality of their children's education.

Here the "that" pronoun has to refer back to parents because it is the purpose part of the goal.. and who the goal is focused on ? parent's ... So "that " will refer back to "parents"

Here the ambiguity is less obvious and hence is BETTER than B...
Thank you.

Please note again: "so as to .." Is correct ... Do not inculcate false guidelines... And always be aware of such claims- " something is always wrong on GMAT"... This is definitely not true... Learn something do not mug up ...

Posted from my mobile device

I didn't think of the idiom while reading the problem (require x to y). I thought of the subjunctive mood, which qualifies B and D as the only options. After that it is the question of meaning. Material can't improve the grades as student's already have the material. It's the parents who have to use that material to help students improve.

Can somebody help with this?

I believe that the OE can be easily removed because they has to clear antecedent ...

Please check the above answer by the gmat pill representative.

Isn't "they" in option D ambiguous? If not, can someone explain why?

when you have their referring to parents ... how could it be possible to use them to refer to someone else in the same sentence ?
clearly them refers to parents

require sb to do sth .... or require that ... be/do

"Requiring x to do y" is the correct subjunctive usage. So it's between B and D.
"so as to" is generally incorrect. So B can go.
Nothing wrong with D.
D it should be.

I believe it is a poor question. Don't sweat over it

daagh can you please tell me the subject-verb pairs in this sentence. Isnt "requiring" a subject here.? and hence it needs a verb pair.?